


Masks Chapter Two

by MermaidNH



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s07e08 Hearts Still Beating, F/M, Hurt Daryl Dixon, Hurt/Comfort, Rescue Missions, The Hilltop (Walking Dead)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:54:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24263938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MermaidNH/pseuds/MermaidNH
Summary: This is Chapter Two of my first ever Fanfiction titled Masks. It should be read as deleted scenes for The Walking Dead's Midseason Finale from Season Seven Episode Eight Hearts Still Beating and it includes an Original Female Character named Nimue.  Enjoy.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon & Maggie Greene, Daryl Dixon & Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	Masks Chapter Two

Masks  
Chapter Two 

(takes place during Hearts Still Beating)

Nimue woke up from a pretty decent stretch of sleep. She anticipated taking care of Daryl would be like caring for a newborn. She planned on being up every couple of hours to take his vitals and do basic wellness check type care like see if he needed a bathroom or something to eat or drink or more pain meds then settle him back down for another couple of hours but it wasn’t like that at all. 

Dr. Harlan Carson had returned to Nimue’s clinic after delivering a particularly long home birth with no complications. He insisted he run some tests on Daryl and x-rayed his shoulder as well as taking some blood for routine bloodwork. While he was tending to him Nimue set up a room for herself for the night next to Daryl’s. The clinic wasn’t much but without a hospital it was all they had aside from Harlan’s medical trailer. Before the world ended it was a doctor’s practice on one side and an urgent care center across the hall. They had plenty of equipment but it was never meant to house patients overnight. Thankfully they had added beds to some of the rooms to make a makeshift hospital of sorts and it was deserted most nights. Daryl was their only overnight guest currently and as such he was getting lots of attention. Harlan offered to spend the night with him but Nimue sent him home. He was exhausted after the birth and while she let him check on Daryl and do what she couldn’t enough was enough and he left them alone. 

Now Nimue’s thoughts settled on Daryl he hadn’t been up for awhile and maybe that was a bad sign. She thought at first, he was sleeping off all the meds he had been given but what if he was awake and just being really quiet. He had been told to let her know if he needed anything but when had Daryl ever followed directions. She thought of his back and shivered. How had he survived so many beatings to have all those scars? Not to mention what had he done in the aftermath of those beatings? Did he receive any care? Probably not or the scarring would be greatly lessened. Did he just lay in his bed or worse a closet trying to be quiet as he sobbed at the pain both emotional and physical? Nimue shook her head trying to push the thoughts from her mind. She didn’t want to disturb Daryl if he was just sleeping soundly but she had to see him to check on him. She didn’t like what she found when she entered his room.

Daryl was sitting straight up in bed but if she looked close she could swear he looked like he was rocking himself slightly and he was rubbing his upper lip in his usual self-soothing gesture. He stared off into space, illuminated by the small lamp Nimue left on in his room, so if he woke up disoriented, he could quickly see where he was and know he was safe. 

“Daryl? How long have you been awake?”

He shrugged. “No clock in here and I never did wear a watch. Awhile.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

“I didn’t need anything. I just wanted to be quiet and I don’t know.”

Her need to know overriding her common sense she asked “Is this how you coped as a kid? Nursing yourself?” 

“After my mother died and Merle ran off it was just my dad and me so when he was done teaching me a lesson for some infraction or whatever I had to patch myself up. It’s fine I’m used to comforting myself.” 

“You must have been scared.” 

“It wasn’t all bad. After my motorcycle accident in 2005. I was alone in the hospital for a month. Merle was stationed out of state and my dad was off somewhere drunk so I was grateful for the practice of taking care of myself.” He gestured toward his left eye. “Knowing I was going to be alone made getting the titanium eye socket seem more normal somehow. Besides I looked like shit after the accident.” 

Nimue approached his bed and gently lowered herself on to it causing Daryl to scoot over a bit. “We started something you know.”

“With Negan? The Saviors? Yeah I know.” 

Nimue almost punched him playfully on his right arm in response but remembering his injuries she shot him an annoyed glance “No, Silly, I meant us. All your secret trips to the Hilltop to check on our medical supplies so you’d have a legitimate reason to visit the clinic….” She sighed “….and me.” 

“Yeah that was what I meant.” 

“Was not. But seriously I know you’ve been through something emotionally and physically. I just wanted you to know I’m here for you. You’re not alone. Even if we have to go back to just being friends.” 

Too much. It was all too much. Daryl didn’t want to think. He didn’t want to talk. He wanted to act. He turned toward Nimue and started kissing her. It had been too long for them both and he had missed her. 

When they separated Nimue tried to jokingly respond “Well Okay then. More than friends it is then.” They both chuckled. 

Then Daryl got all serious. “How did you know what happened to Abraham and Glenn? Has Rick been here?” 

Nimue shook her head. “Maggie? I can’t imagine being pregnant and watching your husband get beaten…...tortured in fact to death.” 

Daryl tried jumping out of his bed. “She’s here? Safe and sound? The Baby? I have to see her. Take me to her. NOW! Rick told Negan she was dead.”

Nimue shushed him back to bed. “Yes, she’s here. Yes, the baby is fine. Harlan has been taking excellent care of them both. Rick lied to Negan to protect her and the baby. But we can’t go to her now.”

Daryl nearly snarled “Why the Hell not?”

In response Nimue handed him her watch “Because it’s two in the morning. They’re sleeping.” 

After that she resumed her medic responsibilities and got Daryl back to sleep, reminding him that if he needed anything he was to wake her no matter what. That’s why Daryl slept in the next day and didn’t see a young pregnant widow named Maggie approaching the clinic. But Nimue did and she met her outside. 

“Is it true? Is Daryl here?”

“Yes, Maggie.” Nimue tried to redirect her away from the clinic, away from where Daryl was finally sleeping peacefully. “He had a late night so he’s still sleeping.” 

“I need to see him.” 

Nimue sighed “No.”

“No?” 

“You can’t see him.”


End file.
